Dynamics of an Isolated Population of Weddell Seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) at White Island, Antarctica
Dynamics of an Isolated Population of Weddell Seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) at White Island, Antarctica
复制标题
南极洲怀特岛威德尔海豹 (Leptonychotes weddellii) 孤立种群的动态
DOI：
--
复制
发表时间：
1999
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
B. D. Scotton
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
J. Testa;B. D. Scotton
在南极洲怀特岛对一小群威德尔海豹 (Leptonychotes weddellii) 进行了研究，那里的威德尔海豹显然与其他威德尔海豹种群之间有 18 公里长的漂浮冰川隔离。怀特岛的海豹数量从 1968 年至 1969 年的仅 9 只增加到 1993 年至 1994 年的 26 只，其年龄比幼崽还大，同时身体状况也有所下降。没有发现移民或移民的证据。与仅 30 公里外的埃里伯斯湾开放海豹种群相比，怀特岛的成年海豹存活率较高，繁殖力较低，幼崽死亡率较高。怀特岛的新生儿和产前死亡率很高，包括先天畸形的幼崽，这表明该种群的遗传活力值得怀疑。如果它仍然处于孤立状态，那么怀特岛的威德尔海豹种群就是小规模濒危海豹种群的模型，也可能是导致极地海豹物种形成的条件的模型。
A small population of Weddell seals ( Leptonychotes weddellii ) was studied at White Island, Antarctica, where it is apparently isolated from other populations of Weddell seals by 18 km of floating glacier ice. The seals at White Island have increased from only nine in 1968–1969 to 26 seals older than pups in 1993–1994, with a concurrent decline in body condition. No evidence of immigration or emigration was found. Higher survival of adult seals, lower fecundity, and higher mortality of pups occurred at White Island relative to seals in an open population only 30 km away in Erebus Bay. High neonatal and preparturient mortality at White Island, including pups with congenital deformities, suggest that genetic viability of this population is questionable. If it remains isolated, the population of Weddell seals at White Island is a model for small populations of endangered seals and possibly for conditions leading to speciation in polar phocids.